Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Rodriguez.
Erica, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I wanted to be an interior designer since I was in the 5th grade. I truly did not know what it entailed, I just thought it was glamorous and i wanted to live in a space that was designed.
My high school offered drafting classes which I attended during both my Junior & Senior years. I found that drafting & perfectionism both came naturally to me. Duluth public schools also offered a post secondary interior design class that I attended during both my Junior & Senior years. During my Junior year my instructor connected me with an internship at a local interior design showroom, managing the wallpaper department and learning the arts of organization and sales. During my senior year our post secondary interior design glass participated in a statewide interior design competition. Doing well in this competition made me feel confident that I really could become an interior designer.
Though I had many options for leaving home and furthering my education either by pursuing a drafting/architecture path OR an interior design path, my heart was in Duluth so I decided accept a full time position at the interior design showroom. It was there that I learned CAD, furthered my intrapersonal relationships skills and learned about a wide range of products functionally. After a couple of years of working at the showroom full time I decided to enroll in a correspondence course through Rhodec International, an interior design school based in London, England.
It was in 2009 that my first child was born and the interior design business reached a notable lull so I decided to become a stay at home mother. During this time at home I had 2 more children and continued my education through Rhodec while dreaming about the interior design business that I would one day start. I also received a tragic diagnosis of stage 4 kidney failure, was added to the national kidney transplant registry and later began dialysis.
Once my youngest child was old enough to begin kindergarten it was time to get the next phase of the plan in motion so I started an independent interior design business; formgiva | design. Relying on referrals from friends and family the business started to get some traction right around the time that I received the amazing news that I would be the recipient of a donated kidney. The transplant took place in 2019; I was fortunate enough to have some loyal clients awaiting my recovery from major surgery so the business not only survived but blossomed during one of the biggest remodeling booms of my career.
During one of my projects I became connected to a reputable, local contractor; Knutson Custom Construction. Our relationship grew quickly and within a year I was working for them exclusively. Working alongside a contractor has its challenges and forced me to grow and develop in a way far beyond what my education provided in the interior design realm. We worked together to develop a template for design plans that go deeper, detailing items beyond what is typical for an interior designer, supporting what a contractor and trades people on the job site are looking for. In the coming months we were able to see that another challenge that we were facing was that we did not have our own buying power and were relying on other vendors to purchase materials which was driving up the cost for materials. This is when we decided to break the interior design business out from the construction business.
With the goals of serving our clients better by providing competitive pricing and offering our design model to other contractors in our community, Knutson Design Company was born. We offer services ranging from consulting, rendering and drafting all the way to full service interior design which carries our client from the beginning to the finished product. In 2026 our Interior Design Studio & Showroom will open for homeowners, clients & trades people can be supported in design, product selection and project plan creation.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting in the field as a young woman proved challenging both because of my age and gender. I often felt that I wasn’t taken as serious or knowledgeable because of my age and because some folks didn’t want to talk about installing tile with a 20 – something blonde girl.
When the stock market crashed in 2008 it was the first time that I experienced clients frantically calling to cancel orders.
Transplant list from 2016, dialysis from 2017 and finally transplant in 2019
Going from a small start up to the frantic remodeling craze that was 2020-2021 really ushered me forward whether I was ready for it or not.
Partnering with an established and well regarded Custom Construction Company and trying to meet or exceed their expectations forced growth at a rapid rate.
Starting a business with established business partners and ensuring that I have a voice, not only as a woman but as an equal partner.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Knutson Design Company is owned by Andrew Knutson, Aaron Opacich & Erica Rodriguez.
I believe what sets us apart as designers is that we are very focused on bringing our clients personality into all of our projects while maintaining great design. Learning our client’s story is important to us. We want to know who they are, what they love to do and what makes them smile. When I look through our albums I don’t see a common theme, I see individual projects that feel like the individual that each was created for.
I am very proud of our ability to use space in a meaningful way. I would much rather create concise spaces that serve the homeowner in their lifestyle than create grand spaces. I believe that we have an innate skill to see where space is best serving the home and are creative in accessing it.
Lastly, I truly believe we have created a model that can serve the trades people in our community. Folks that I work with on a regular basis rave about how much smoother the jobs go when working with us. Each time we have the opportunity to show a finished design to a potential customer they are amazed by the amount of detail that we put into our work, eliminating guess work by homeowners and contractors alike. That makes us very proud.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We love working with private clients, building vendor relationships, and collaborating with other folks in the trades. We are easily connected with on Socials, via email or through our website. Whether you are a potential client, vendor or partner we want to hear from you and learn your story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://design.knutsonbuilds.com
- Instagram: knutsondesigncompany
- Facebook: knutsondesigncompany
